In a portable system utilized for the control of ink flow to an ink jet printhead, it is necessary to ensure that the printhead continues to function and receive an ink supply in the presence of movement of the printhead due to its portability. Examples of portable systems include the recently filed PCT Application Nos. PCT/AU98/00550 and PCT/AU98/00549 filed by the present applicant.
For example, when utilized in a camera system with an internal printer, it is desirable to provide for proper operation and ink flow and the presence of movement of the portable camera system. Further, it is desirable to provide for such a system as cheaply and efficiently as possible. This is particularly the case where the camera is utilized in a portable manner whilst printing.
Recently inkjet printhead nozzles have been fabricated on silicon wafers using lithographic etching and deposition techniques to make the MEMS (micro-electro mechanical systems) nozzles structures. Because of the microscopic scale of these structures, ‘crosstalk’ between adjacent nozzles can affect their operation. The main types of crosstalk are thermal, fluidic and structural. Thermal crosstalk is prevalent in thermal inkjet printers where the heat from one nozzle spreads to others and affects their firing characteristics. Fluidic crosstalk can occur when ink ejection from one nozzle creates back flows that affect the ink refill flow in adjacent nozzles. Structural crosstalk is mainly a problem in piezo printheads.